Screen or riddle.



No. 627,640. Patented June 27, I899. J. A. FUGATE.

SCREEN 0R RIDDLE.

(Application .flled Mar. 16, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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. UNITED STATES 1 PATE T ()FFICE.

JOHN A. FUGATE, on IRVING, OREGON.

SCREEN OR RIDDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N 0. 627,640, dated. June 2'7, 1899.

' Application filed March 16, 1899. No- 709,811 (No modeL') This invention relates to adjustable screens or riddles for threshing and grain-cleaning machines.

Theobject of the invention is to produce a screen or riddle in which the openings for the passage of grain or other substance with which the screen is used may be adjusted bya simple mechanism which is not likely to be disarranged by the. shaking 0f the screen and which maybe adjusted by a simple movement, substantially as hereinafter described.

Figure 1 is atop plan of the screen or riddle and connections by which the openings in the screen may be adjusted, the screen-openings being partly closed. Fig. 2 is a top plan of a modification of the same with the openings fully open. Fig. 3 is a broken side elevation of shiftinglever and connections. Fig. 4 is a broken longitudinal detail section of riddle and box, showing inside view of connections from lever. Fig. 5 is a broken crosssection of screen and box.

The screen or riddle is in any usual or suitable box or hopper, and usual means are employed to shake the screen or otherwise impel the grain along the face thereof.

The screen proper is composed of two plates A and B, of sheet metal, having perforations a therethrough. The lower plate B has the tongue-pieces 1?, extending. downwardly at an angle, these pieces being cut at one end and bent, instead of being entirely removed fro the plate, as are the parts which 'form the openings in plate A.

The lower plate B by preference is firmly attached to .the frame or hopper 1 by means of any suitable frame or casing, as 2.

The upper plate A has holes a thesame in size and location as the openings in the lower plate and lies on said plate, being held down at each side edge bya lath or strip 3, secured to the frame, or by the edge 75 of the lower plate turned over the upper, as inFig. 5. The

In order that theopenings in the plates may beregulated as tosize without stopping the machine, mechanism is'provided for shifting the'plate A, which I will now describe. A rock-shaft C is supported in suitable bearings in the frame or casing, near one end of plate A, extending across the casing. This rockshaft has short rigid arms D, which are pivotally connected by pitmen'or links E to the plate A or to ears A thereon. The rockshaft 0 has a rigid arm F, connectedto the shaft 0 near the frame or casing. This arm is slotted, as shown at F.. Acrank-lever G has its bearings in the frame or casing, and

its crank end extends through the slot'in the arm F. Outside the casing the crank-lever has a rigid operating lever-arm G Power applied toarm G to swing said lever causes thelever F to swing, and thus rock the shaft 0, and by means of the arm-and-link connections the plate A will be shifted, thus opening or closing the holes through the plates A B to agreater or less extent, accordingto the position of lever G, and as the plate A is connected at both sides of the shaft 0 this move ment is easy and uniform. The lever G is held in its adjusted position bya locking-dog H, connectedto said lever in usual manner and engaging the curvedfrack I, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or the lever G may beheld by pins 0 entering holes in the perforated arc- IQO thresher or winnowing machine, so that the screen is fully under the control of the operator.

I am aware that screens with adjustable plates to regulate the size of openings are not broadly .new. My invention relates to the mechanism by which such adjustment is easily made without delay and to just the amount desired, the adjustment being indicated.

WVhat I claim is 1. In a screen or riddle, the frame, fixed perforated plate and movable perforated plate arranged as described, the rock-shaft having lever-arms connected by links to the movable plate and having a rigid slotted arm, the crank-lever having its crank in the slot in said arm, and the operating-lever connected 

